Can I use Android Pay to manage gift cards and loyalty cards without needing a screen lock?

I use to use Google Wallet to manage my loyalty cards and gift cards. I've accumulated a couple dozen of each over the years, and I liked that my phone reminded me to use one when I was in a store. But now, this functionality has been moved to Android Pay. And it looks like Android Pay requires you to add a credit or debit card, which in turn requires you to set a secure screen lock. I very much do not want a screen lock on my phone.

So, is there any way to us Android Pay to manage my gift cards and loyalty cards without needing a screen lock? If not, then does anyone here have any suggestions for a good alternative app for managing gift cards and loyalty cards? The reminder to use them when I was in store was nice, but it's not entirely necessary.

Welcome to Android Central! I don't believe you can get around that requirement. Your best bet is to use Smart Lock, and pair the phone with a Trusted Device. This will allow you to open Android Pay without the pattern.

As for not wanting to use a screen lock, I would strongly suggest you reconsider. This is your first line of defense against exposing sensitive data, in case you lose your phone. If you have no screen lock, any thief could easily gain access to your various Google app data, as well as other apps like Facebook. A good screen lock in conjunction with Smart Lock would probably be ideal for you.

Thank you for the welcome, B. Diddy. I took a look at Smart Lock soon after your reply, and I was surprised with how powerful it is (Nexus 6 with Android 5.1.1). I went ahead and enabled screen lock with an easy pattern, and enabled all sorts of Smart Lock and standard features. I've been using it for a couple weeks now. It rarely locks while I have my phone, and getting through the lock when it does lock is painless. I'm not very worried about a thief getting to my phone, as it'd be hard for me to loose it, I live and work in safe areas, and I'm ready to do a remote wipe as soon as I think my phone is compromised. I'm quite happy with it. Thanks for telling me about Smart Lock.